Spring catch for vanity boxes



Feb. 26 1924. 1,485,052

P. A. REUTTER SPRING CATCH FOR VANITY BOXES Filed March 27. 1923 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

PHILIP A. REUTTER, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To SCO VILL MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF WATER-BURY, CGNNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

SPRING CATCH FOR VANITY BOXES.

Application filed March 27, 1923. Serial no. 627,975.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP A. REUTTER. a citizen of the United States, residing at Vaterbury, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Catches for Vanity Boxes, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in small boxes for holding cosmetics, such as powder and rouge, now commonly known as vanity boxes.

Certain 'ypes of these vanity boxes include a compartment in which a powder or rouge compact is secured, a cover, and a partition member interposed between the cover and the bottom, this partition member carrying either a mirror, or a powder or rouge compact, or both, these parts being usually associated together.

The cover and bottom members of these boxes are flanged, and these flanges abut a 'ainst a rib or head formed on the partition member, the bottom and cover flanges having telescopic engagement with flanges on the partition member extending on either side of the bead. In the use of these boxes it is desirable that only one side of the box he opened at one time, that is, the cover or bottom member being swung away from the partition member, the member not so swung being secured to the partition.

Securing means have heretofore been pro vided for these boxes which have consisted of projections on each side of the partition rib which engage indentations in the cover and bottom. These have, however, been unsatisfactory, in that they do not hold the parts sufliciently securely in position unless the projections are proportioned to so deeply seat in their engaging recesses that it is difficult to release them when it is desired to open the box.

It is the especial object of the present invention to provide an improved spring catch for this type of box in which the parts are so arranged as to securely hold the cover and bottom in locked position, but which at the same time may be very easily manipulated to free the parts when it is desired to open the box.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a construction in which the spring mechanisms are so arranged and located as to be concealed when the box is closedexcept for a releasing part, so that a box of neat attractive appearance is produced.

It is a furtherfobject of the invention to provide a spring catch of simple construction so that it can be cheaply made and economically associated with the box.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to in View, the invention consists in certain novel parts, arrangements, and combinations, which will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features thereof pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed;

Referring now to these drawings Figure 1 is a front view,' partly in section of the box, the parts being shown closed.

Figure 2 is a side view showing the box open, the cover and bottom being moved away from the central partition member.

Figure 3 is a central vertical section on an enlarged scale, the section being taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. V V

Figure 4 is a central plan view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 -is a detail sectional view of the parts shown at the right of Fig. 3, the view being on a larger scale than in thatfigure.

Referring now to these drawings, the box will include a bottom 1 having a peripheral wall or flange 2, this bottom 1 forming a compartment for a cosmetic, as for instance rouge. The box will also include a cover 3 having a peripheral flange or wall 4, this cover being usually pivotally associated with the bottom 1 by means of a hinge 5. Also pivotally associated with the bottom and cover on this hinge 5 is a central partition provided with a wall or flange 6. This partition forms a compartment for. another cosmetic, as powder, and if desired the bottom of this partition member may be of polished metal or may have secured thereto a mirror, not illustrated. The wall 6 of this partition is formed with a peripheral rib orbead 8, the wall being inset on each side of the bead to form flanges 9 and shoulders 10. The walls 2, 4 of the bottom and cover telescopically engage the flanges 9 and seat against the rib 8.

In accordance with the invention an improved spring catch is provided for securely locking the bottom 1 and cover .2. to the partition so that either .or both of these parts can be easily and readily released when it is desired to get at the cosmetics, and this spring catch will be of such charactor as to be inconspicuous and easily manipulated. lVhile the structure of the catch may be somewhat varied, in the particular construction illustrated, there is provided a spring arm 11 secured inside the wall Got the partition member, this spring being secured in' any suitable manner as by-soldering, indicated at 12. This spring arm has at its freeend a pair of wings 13, l t, these wings being positioned on each side oi the rib 8 of. the partition member and lying in normal position in slots 15 formed in the walls of the flanges 9 ofthe partition, before referred to. These wings are provided withholding projections 16, these projections extendingvforwardly of the wings and being' conveniently formed by punching in the metal of the wings,.as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Theseprojections with recesses 17 formed inthe walls of the cover and bottom members,- the projections being securely held in the recesses by the spring action of the arm 11.

Suitable releasingiineans are provided for freeing the projections from the recesses, and in the particular construction illustrated, these devices includea release 18 se cured to the arm intermediate the wings and. projecting through a slot 19 formed in the rib of the .partitionmember. Inthe best constructions this slot is, as shown in Fig. 1, somewhat wider than theslots 15 in which the wings move so that a surface otsuflicient width to be readily-engaged by the hand of the operator is provided without weakening to an undesirable extent the walls of the partition member.

The wings have a play back andforth in the slots l5..and 19,-and to facilitate the play of the lower wing 1d the bottom of the partition may be provided with an indentation or groove -20, as shown in 'Fig. 5, in which the bottom of the wing may have a tree movement.

While the invention has been shown and described in its preferred form, it will be understood that certain changes and variations may be made in the specific structure described without departing from the invention as defined in the annexed claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a box of the character described, the combination with a flanged bottom member and a flanged cover, of a partition interposed between the cover and bottom and having upper and lower flanges with which the cover and bottom flanges engage telescopically, a rib on the partition. against which the cover and bottom flanges seat, a spring arm secured. in the partition, slots in the flanges of the partition, wings onthe arm extending; into the slots, projections on the wings engaging recesses in the.bottom and cover flanges, and a release for freeing the projections.

2. In a box of the character described, the combination ofva coveranda bottom, a partition interposedltherebetween, upper and lower flanges on the partition, a rib between thefianges, slots'in the flanges and rib, a spring arm secured inside the partition, upper and lower wwingson the arm having locking projections, and a release on the. arm between the projections; and extending through the slot in the rib.

In testimony whereof, Lhave hereunto set my hand.

PHILIP A. REUTTER. 

